


Devil's Deal

by BluBooThalassophile



Series: The Many Alternative Lives of JayRae [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Constantine (TV), DCU, Green Lantern - All Media Types, Lucifer (TV), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Multi, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-05-24 16:48:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14958377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/BluBooThalassophile
Summary: It wasn't intentional, it was impersonal and routine. Morning coffee at six on the weekdays, eight on the weekends, they had friendly chats in the coffee line, and parted ways after they got the door and left. So when he saw her getting attacked one night he intervened, he's on the hunt for Lucifer's heir, not helping his morning routine.





	1. Impersonal Routine

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so... I get a lot of requests for these particular AUs. So I'm going to explain how this particular story works.
> 
> 1\. It is not one of my priorities. It was a drabble that has continued, and is likely to continue and as requests for it come I will add on to it.
> 
> 2\. It will be mainly posted and worked on through requests, via tumblr.
> 
> 3\. It's not a full fledged plot story, I'm making it up as I go. I manage the Hopes for a Bastard Series, I have resumed Never Be the Same, and the Until the Day I... Series, so I'm focusing on finishing those up.
> 
> 4\. If you want more of this particular little AU, please make a request on Tumblr. Don't be shy about it, I don't bite. And it might take me a long while, but I will; in time, get to whatever request is in my inbox. So seriously, don't be shy, if you desire more of this story put in the request.
> 
> That's all for now folks!

Bruce stood in a nice townhouse, staring out at the dreary Gotham weather, his hands shoved in his pockets as he waited patiently for his business partner to get here. It had been many years since he’d been forced into a corner like this, but he was never one to turn back on a debt.

And what Lucifer Morningstar had done for him could never truly be repaid, however he was here.

“Relax, you’re too tense,” his wife said behind him. Bruce glanced at the mother of four of his elven children, her finger slid into his and he pulled her closer as he kissed her temple. He was thankful for Cat since he was twelve years old, even if they had an overly complicated relationship that had always been solid and shaky at the same time.

“We’ll hear him out, he’s a good man,” Selina said as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

“And if I can’t give him what he wants?” Bruce asked her. He feared Lucifer had come, come for one of his children, and that was something that terrified Bruce to no end.

“He’s not taking the kids,” Cat growled lowly. He squeezed her hand and watched as a black Audi pulled up. An older man, with white hair got out when a young woman with a scarred face got the car door for him. Bruce released Selina and walked to his study where he waited. It took five minutes before his eldest daughter walked in with the Devil himself behind her.

“Mr. Morningstar,” he acknowledged as Cass slipped out of the room.

“I’ve come to collect your debt Mr. Wayne,” Lucifer said as he sat. The old man stared him in the eye with dark eyes, and Bruce frowned.

“And what do you want?”

“I want you to find my granddaughter.”

* * *

 

Jason was scrolling through his texts, from Dickhead, Roy, Arty, Rose, Cass, Tim, Chris, Tiger, Artemis, demon spawn I, demon spawn II, Eddie, Connor, B, Cat, Joey, he sighed and shut off his phone as he stuffed it in his pocket before walking into the café. It wasn’t that important of a thing, and yeah, there was a big shipment to move, and logistics to coordinate, also subordinates to deal with, but Jason just wanted his fucking coffee!

Anyone who thought being a crime lord meant he was an entity who did not require sleep or coffee, they were wrong. He might not have been as needy about his caffeine as Tim, but he needed the caffeine. And it was six in the fucking morning, he wasn’t dealing with this shit! Not without coffee.

Jason came to his favorite café, the one with the best coffee he had ever had, and walked in. He kept his cap low, so as to not attract attention of people, he didn’t like people staring at his face, it made him uncomfortable.

He nodded at a regular who looked up at him.

Her black hair was short and messy her large dark eyes were showing signs of sleeplessness, her pale skin looked rather grey and he thought she needed the coffee more than he did.

“No sleep?” he asked.

“Deadline,” she answered.

“Ah,” he nodded as they shuffled in the crowd towards the register.

“What about you?” she yawned hugely.

“Big project,” he answered. Also Rose was in town, which had lead romp in the sheets.

“No sleep for the wicked then,” the girl sighed.

“Guess not,” he chuckled as they continued shuffling forward.

She and he had been regulars here for as long as he had been coming to this café. Which was since he had come to the NYC branch of the Bats. And he was guessing she was here before him. Mentally he had dubbed her little bird, she reminded him of one, and she was of his morning routine. They always showed up, at six on the weekdays, eight on the weekends, had a polite conversation as they muscled their way to the counter for their orders. She would order one for sure, sometimes three, rarely more than four. Hers was a simple order: vanilla latte, heavy on the vanilla, no expense spared on her vanilla. Weekends, she ordered tea, a London Fog, whatever that was.

Then they’d get their orders, he’d hold the door open as she left, and they’d part ways.

It was routine.

The small talk was nice, something he looked forward to, since she didn’t stare at his scar or tremble in fear like everyone else. It was just small talk, off handed comments about sleep, or books, a conversation about a tv show she was engrossed in, or a drama with a friend, all vague and personable. It was nice, something he liked, he could even bitch about his brothers and sisters to her and not worry about it getting back to them, as it was all vague and personable small talk.

It was a twenty minute, standing routine he carved out of his days for his morning caffeine fix and daily dose of small talk.

It was pleasant.

Impersonal.

Routine.

“How’s the cat?” he asked.

“You remember?”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t shut up about it,” he yawned.

“I named him, officially,” she smiled tiredly.

“No shit?”

“Yeah, Sylvester,” she chuckled softly.

“Damn.”

“He’s the devil incarnated,” she swore. Then they were at the counter, she put her orders in, three today, her other two regular orders. A caramel coma inducing coffee with milk instead of cream, then a four shot expresso macchiato with enough caramel and chocolate to have him recoiling. He didn’t know who those were for, but he had a feeling it had to do with her friends. “How’s your dad?”

“Stressing, big project at work,” he replied after he place his order; coffee black with a shot of expresso.

“That’s not good,” she decided as she shouldered her bag; it wasn’t a purse really, so much as a Mary Poppin’s bag, the woman seemed to have everything in there.

“It’ll work out, mom’s good at getting him out of his head,” he admitted.

“That’s good. You have a mark on your… oh, it’s a hickey,” she blurted out, and her face pinkened.

“Damn it,” he muttered. “Is it bad?”

“No, just uh… use the collar up,” she said and gestured on herself as she motioned lifting the collar up. He sighed and did as she suggested, he waited until she nodded and smiled a bit. “Better, You look better for your job now.”

“More presentable for the meetings,” he countered, and made a note to pay Rose back for the hickey. Her order and his were called out simultaneously and he watched as she grabbed the drink carrier, he followed as they made it to the door.

“See you tomorrow! Good luck in your meetings!” she smiled slightly.

“See ya, good luck with work,” he added as he got the door for her and she slipped out under his arm and they parted ways. It was all too familiar, impersonal, and routine, it was also the only welcomed interaction of his day. His phone rang as he took a sipp of the hot coffee and walked through the autumn spitting shower.

“What is it?” he asked noting it was Dickhead’s number.

“Dad’s calling us back to Gotham.”

“Can’t I got that shipment coming in from Cobblepot,” he said.

“Get Artemis to cover, this is a family emergency,” Dick said.

“Next time, start with he family emergency, I’ll be in Gotham by noon,” he said looking at his watch.

* * *

 

Raven had long since been going to that café, and as long as it was open she’d be going. They were the only ones to ever get her order right; that’s right, Starbucks had fucked her simple order up so much that she stuck to a small, out of her way café that made her leave her house at five thirty to get there at six to get to work by six thirty, which was perfect. It was a half an hour walk from her apartment, but it was a ten minute walk to her job.

The café might have been slower at serving people, crowded, stuffy, and filled with staff that she didn’t always want to deal with, but five years of going there through college and she had never had better coffee. Even three years ago when Jay had started showing up.

She had long since dubbed Mr. Sexy Muscles Jay, and part of it did have to do with the J carved into his right cheek. But she wasn’t about to call him Mr. Sexy Muscles, despite being incredibly handsome. Though she would admit the scar had been intimidating when she had first seen him, but three years of this impersonal, personal relationship they had standing and she could admit he was nothing if not a gentleman. And a complete mystery.

Raven loved it!

She liked having an impersonal stranger she could talk to, who didn’t know her and she didn’t know him, and she didn’t have to deal with all the drama of actually being friends with him. It was also nice that he was brutally honest with her, like about her situation about liking Garth but being unable to actually act on it because it was Garth and he was so beyond her league.

“I have the coffee,” she announce walking into Lantern’s Comics. She was a writer here, and she was a freelance ghost writer, but as Kyle and Jessica worked here this was where she tried to keep her main job. Though Hal wasn’t on about hiring as a full on writer for his comics about Oa, they were a huge hit with this generation. She had grown up on Oa comics.

“Thank the gods! You are the best Rae,” Kyle sighed as he grabbed his.

“I pulled another all nighter, I don’t want coffee, I was sleep and my pokemon,” Jessica whimpered into her desk.

“We finish this, then we’re set,” Raven predicted as she sat down and they got to work on finishing their deadline. The three of them were a team, Kyle the color artist, Jessica the line art artist, and Raven the writer/editor for their little comic. They had met in college, Jessica had been Raven’s roommate and Kyle had joined their group for an art project, things had never parted them and they just sort of kept working together. They no longer lived together but they met up Kyle’s bar, Warrior a lot. Raven lived over a bookstore, and Jessica lived over a garage where her mechanic neighbor drove her nuts. But it was that or live with her sister, so Jessica picked the apartment she was in.

“Raven!” Hal shouted.

“On it!” Raven hurried up to the boss’ office then.

* * *

 

Jason sat in the Gotham townhouse his many siblings there and he stared dumbfoundedly at his father, and mother. His mom’s hand was clasping his shoulder tightly as she lounged on the armrest beside him.

“You want us to find a unicorn,” Dick deduced flippantly.

“Why?” he whispered.

“What?”

“Why would you ask him?” Jason asked.

“The Joker had you,” Bruce stated icily.

“But the madman was worth making a deal with him!?” Jason roared surging to his feet. Lucifer Morningstar, the most ruthless, powerful, mobster in Europe! And Africa! Also having ties in Asia! The man’s global enterprise was a well oiled, never ceasing beast of a machine! Something built in the after math ruins of World War II and thrived in the Cold War, bloomed in the conflicts of Desert Storm and the hells of the recent wars. Lucifer, nicknamed the Devil, had never been more accurately nicknamed. A man with more power than the President or Lex Luthor, he was the most powerful crime lord ever to come into power.

“Yes! Jason! You were offering him anything he wanted!” Bruce roared back.

“So how are we to find his grandchild?” Tim asked.

“We start with Slade’s wife as Slade killed Ddrez Skath Morningstar for Arella,” Cat said. “We start, with Arella.”

“What exactly did Lucifer want?” Jason grounded out.

“He wants an heir, whoever finds the heir will have his alliance.” Bruce stated.


	2. Inconsequentially Important

Raven sighed as she sat in Warrior as Kyle stared at the object of his affections. The one-sided affections he insisted he didn’t have, but were plainly written all over his face.

“If you stare at his ass any harder you’re going to burn a hole in it,” Raven informed Kyle as she took a sip of her bourbon.

“We can’t all have crushes on perfect matches,” Kyle stated.

“I do not!” she protested.

“Garth Curry.”

“Okay fine, but at least I don’t stalk him at his place of work and moon over his ass,” she countered as she rolled her eyes and slowly stood.

“Where are you going!?” Kyle demanded his panic obvious as she shouldered her bag.

“I have to get up in the morning, and I have that job interview, I also have my own story to finish writing, and I need to call my moms and wish them a happy anniversary,” Raven said.

“You’re leaving me!?” Kyle sputterd.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” she promised as she walked away.

“FIEND! You never leave a wingman behind!”

“I’m not going to sit here all night so you can moon over some Guy’s ass,” Raven punned back as she walked out.

“You’re a cold hearted witch sometimes!”

“Demon!” she shouted back as she waved him off and walked out into the city’s night. Tugging her coat on a bit tighter she pulled her cap over her messy hair as she started walking down the street for her stop.

* * *

 

Artemis Crock walked with Jason through the bustling city.

“And check on Slade’s defenses,” Jason said.

“You know that this is a terrible idea,” Artemis said.

“Just do it.”

“It’s going to be worse when he finds out you were sleeping with his daughter,” Artemis stressed and Jason stopped.

Artemis was of the very few people who knew; really knew, Jason. He’d survived two years of torture from the serial killer Joker, he’d dug himself from the depths of his own grave, he’d fought, and killed, he’d trained to the point of being more lethal than SEALs, Delta, SAS and others. He was a ruthless killer, he was a gentle soul with more empathy and compassion in him than anyone could ever prove.

And she loved him, like the annoying little brother she’d never had. She loved him.

“He knows, I’m pretty sure Rose rubs it in his face,” Jason admitted as they walked to her stop.

“Alright, I’ll compile the information, and forward it to you before the end of the week.”

“Good,” he nodded.

“Anything else, boss?”

“Yeah, tell the moron to stop trying to tail me,” Jason ordered.

“You know Roy cares because he tails!” she chimed.

“I like my privacy.”

“I’ll tell him, see you tomorrow Jason,” she waved him off as she jogged down the stairs to her subway stop. Jason nodded at her as he disappeared into the crowd and she sighed as she walked with the crowd.

She really wished it wasn’t Lucifer Morningstar of all the damn people that B could have made that deal with.

* * *

 

Jason supposed he couldn’t be furious with his father for doing what any father really should do, but he was angry all the same because he’d rather be dead most days than dealing with this shit. To be fair he’d been tortured in everyway possible by a delusional serial killer, and Jason was not entirely sure if life or death would be an easier route for him. But as long as he was breathing he’d keep fighting, keep working, it was in his nature.

Sighing he continued down the street when he twitched hearing a disturbance to the bustling night. His head turned, and he looked into an alley where he had heard the muffled sound. Jason pocketed his phone as he crept forward, into the darkness.

“Shut up!” a man growled.

“Please! I’ll give you anything you want!” the small voice gasped.

“look at this Rob she’s pretty!” another man mused.

“No, please!” the woman gasped and it clicked where he knew the voice as his eyes narrowed dangerously on the men. They threw her against the fence, pawing at her and Jason stepped out of the shadows.

“I believe the little bird said ‘No’.” he snarled lowly, there was a flash of panic in the woman’s eyes as she saw him. “Let her go. NOW.”

The men released her.

“Little bird,” he motioned for her, and the girl looked between her attackers flanking her and him before she darted behind him, her fingers caught his coat as she pressed herself securely behind him and he could feel her peering around him at the men. God above the woman was tiny.

“Now we’re leaving, come after us and I will kill you,” he warned darkly as his own arm came around Raven and they backed out of the alley, his hand on his weapon in his pocket. They made it to the street before he pulled her around and into his side, slinging his arm over her shoulders he guided her to a near stop. He’d get her home but first they’d be ditching dumb and dumber before he circled back to kill them.

“Thank you,” she whispered inaudible against his side.

“No problem,” he admitted.

“Little bird?” she whispered.

“Like you don’t have a code name for me in the morning, little bird.”

“Jay, I call you Jay.”

“That’s not very original.”

“I also call you Mr. Sexy Muscles but I’d never dare to say that aloud,” she mumbled.

Jason stared at her as they walked; watching her face turn scarlet and then he finally roared with laughter. “Little bird I think anyone’s ever called me sexy.”

“I can’t believe I said that! What’s wrong with me!?” she sputtered.

“Do you honestly think me sexy?” he persisted, her face turning a more violent shade of red in this November cold.

“Will we please get off this topic!?” she pleaded.

“Hell no!” he laughed.

“Okay, despite the grime, bad boy, aura, and the obvious trouble maker vibe you have, you’re very handsome, and why am I little bird?” she demanded.

Jason was shocked hearing nothing about the J carved into his cheek or the other scars that were visible. “Isn’t that obvious? You’re tiny and you remind me of a little bird.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“Jason, Jason Todd,” he smiled a bit at her.

“Raven, Raven Quinzel-Isley,” she answered.

“That’s a hell of a mouthful,” he said.

“My moms hyphenated their last names,” she shrugged.

“You mind if I walk you home?”

“We’re heading for the wrong train then,” she mumbled.

“We’re going to ride around for a bit, until I know you’re safe,” he said. She nodded into his side and he felt her shaking now as they walked the subway and she was leaning heavily into him.

Jason got them on the train, he saw the men behind and Raven’s knees gave out, which had him scooping her up. She was shaking something violently and it wasn’t from the cold as far as he could tell as he sat with her on his lap.

“I… I…” she chattered.

“I’ll get you home to Sylvester,” he promised.

“You remember?” she whispered, her gloved fingers curled into his chest.

“Yeah, you know sometimes you’re the best part of my day,” he admitted softly.

“Thank you….” she whispered.

“Mind giving me your address, little bird? I’ll get you home,” he promised.

“I trust you,” she murmured as she hid against his chest.

“Good, and we’ll go back to our morning routine,” he promised holding her tight. This felt right for some reason, and he liked that the scar wasn’t her main interest for being around him. It was comforting.

“I just want to go home,” she sobbed now, he held her firmly against her as he rubbed circles on her back and whispered promises of going home.

She whispered her address to him an hour later and he carefully navigated his way to her apartment, not letting her walk as she had nearly fallen on her face when he’d set her down. Making it to her building was easy enough, she fumbled to get him the keys.

They made it up to her apartment and he got them in the door. Raven said nothing as she hid her face against his shoulder.

“Kay little bird,” he said setting her on the chair. Before he fumbled around for a light. He was a bit surprised to note he only lived two building over from her, he could see his apartment building across the street, even see his apartment window for his kitchen. There was a black hiss of fur that was on the kitchen counter.

“Stay!” she grabbed his hand. “Please!” she pleaded.

“You get changed for bed, my apartment’s across the way, I’ll be right back and take the couch,” he said softly. She reluctantly let his hand go as he jogged out of her apartment.

* * *

 

Raven stumbled to her room, she changed and found her college hoodie to pull on and her hair was loose around her. She didn’t want to be alone just yet, she couldn’t stand the thought, and she was terrified to be alone at this minute even as Sylvester wound his way around her ankles.

She gasped when she heard a light buzz on the intercom.

“Jay!?” she pleaded.

“Yeah, ready to lemme in?” he asked her. Raven didn’t have to wait five minutes before he appeared. He was in sweats and a hoodie, with a bag slung over his shoulder, his feet had boots on though.

“I… You…” she started.

“I’m staying one night, I’ll walk you to the coffee shop and then we go back to our morning routine, deal?” he held out his hand.

She nodded as she tentatively took it.

“Kay,” he smiled a bit.

“Thank you again, you didn’t have to,” she whispered.

“Of course I had to little bird, you’re my morning routine, can’t have someone fuck with that,” he smiled.

“Thank you, again, for… for everything.”

“Uh-huh, bed,” he ordered. She nodded as she walked to her room.

“You can…”

“I’m taking the couch, see you in the morning, we’ll get coffee and back to normal,” he promised.

Raven nodded as she slid into her room, she watched as he set himself on the couch and she felt Sylvester on her bed, prowling towards her as he claimed his spot behind her back. Raven shivered a bit as she pulled the covers closer to her shoulders.

She was safe. Jason was here to protect her. She was safe.

* * *

 

Jason waited until he was sure the little bird was asleep before he sat up and opened his phone to see the slew of messages from his brothers.

Everyone was concerned about the heir to Lucifer Morningstar, he was concerned about the little bird. Fuck him, until he’d heard her in that alley he hadn’t thought about what the morning routines meant to him.

It was just coffee; but every morning it was consistent.

It was this impersonal personal friendship and one he didn’t know he valued so much until now. He was fucked he was so royally fucked.

Someone so inconsequential to his existence was apparently important, and that terrified him.

Jason supposed he was just going to have to keep an extra eye out on Raven and make sure she didn’t attract anymore trouble. Come tomorrow her attackers would be dead; he’d see to that, because no doubt those men had attacked other women. Jason wouldn’t stand for that. And making bodies disappear; well that was easy. It merely took a matter of proper planning and he was good at planning.

He’d assign Artemis to protecting Raven until he was certain she was safe.

He didn’t relish the idea of losing her.

Getting up he peeked into the room where his morning routine was in a fitful sleep, her cat glared dangerously at him and Jason groaned. He was so fucked!


	3. Knight in Tarnished ARmor

Raven groaned as she woke with the dire need to scratch her nose, and a weight pressing down on her, with the scent of bacon filling her apartment. Peeling an eye open she found herself looking at…

Sylvester’s butt.

Bloody Cat! Shoving her pet off her, Raven yawned as she sat up, stretching before she stumbled out of her bed, shivering at the cold wood floor before she peeked into her kitchen curiously.

Garfield and she had broken up last year, and he hated bacon, so who the hell was in her sanctuary this early in the morning. Her eyes blinked a few times as she stared dumbly at Jay. Mr. Sexy Muscles, who was standing shirtless in her kitchen. It was computing to her why he was there.

“Morning sunshine.”

“Hngh…” she grunted out rubbing her eyes. As she stumbled for her table, picking up a sweatshirt on the way. It was not registering to her that she was in black cotton bikini panties only, and a too large Mets jersey.

“You have like nothing in your kitchen,” he informed her.

“I can’t cook,” she yawned sitting at her table.

“That’s a crime.”

“Why are you here?” she asked propping her chin on her fist, trying desperately to remember what her morning routine was doing here.

“You asked me to stay,” he answered with a shrugged. Then it hit her like a freight train which had her eyes widening as she stared at him dumbly then.

“Oh shit…” she whispered. “Last night was real!” she shivered as she felt herself starting to tremble then. It was real, which meant he was real, it meant she had been stupid and she had been confident going home a wee bit tipsy… Oh Vic was going to have her head!

“Hey, hey, look at me little bird,” hands were on her shoulders which had her attention snapping to Jay. “Breathe, breathe, love, in through the nose, out through the mouth, in through the nose…” he repeated the process by breathing and talking with her before she finally sagged in her chair burying her face in her hands.

“I’m so sorry!” she sputtered.

“It’s ok,” he said, his hand touched her head.

“You’re being so nice to me, and this… this has gotta be awkward. I mean we barely know each other,” she sputtered. “And you’re here making me bacon!”

“You probably know me better than most my friends,” he countered. Raven blinked owlishly at him, and he shrugged.

“Okay, I can say the same,” she huffed out as she propped her head on her fist again. “Don’t act all smug about it.”

“I’m not,” he smiled. “Now how about we start over?”

“Sure.”

“Jason.”

“Raven.”

“Nice to meet you, now seriously, why the hell did you nickname me Mr. Sexy Muscles!?” he demanded going back to the stove. Raven’s eyes wandered over a ple``thora of scars that had his body ragged, and textured in unnatural ways. Stories. He had a lot of stories. Raven didn’t know if she wanted to know them or not.

“Well… have you seen you in the mirror!?” she demanded as he put a cup of milk before her and a plate of bacon.

“You think, even with this,” he gestured to the J carved into his cheek then and then he gestured to his tattered body. “I’m Mr. Sexy Muscles.”

“Well, I see you have a lot of stories to tell one day,” she admitted. “But honestly, you got the whole grim, bad boy mystery aura going for you, and chicks dig that.”

“What the fuck,” he sputtered.

“You asked!” she countered childishly as she pointed at him. The red sleeve flew forward and fell over her hand which had her blinking dumbly at this. “This is not my sweatshirt.”

“No, it’s not, though I gotta admit, it does look a hell of a lot better on you than on me.”

“You’re weird.”

“And you’re in your underwear.”

“What!?” she looked down at her bare legs, then it clicked and she darted out of her chair to her room. Jason was roaring with laughter, she grabbed her Eeyore fuzzy pajama pants before talking back out to the room.

“Not. Funny.”

“I find it hilarious, and it totally makes up for the fact you call me Mr. Sexy Muscles.”

“You’re never going to let me live that down.”

“Never.”

“Hey… um… thanks, thank you, for-for you know, last night. You didn’t have to do that, and you did, so thank you,” she whispered staring at her plate. She peeked at him from her lashes and saw his ears were red and he was covering his face a bit.

“No problem.”

“Thank you Jason. I will never be able to repay you for saving me. Never.”

“Lets just go back to our morning routine and call it even,” he said.

“I didn’t do anything for you,” she sputtered.

“Trust me here little bird,” he pleaded.

“You know… I will thank you, properly, just… it’ll take a few days.”

“Please, that’s not necessary.”

“It is. Those men were going to do God knows what to me, and you stopped them.”

“Rae,” he pleaded.

“Shut up, you’re getting thanked.”

“You’re never this bossy when we meet up at the café,” he muttered.

“I’m always bossy, you can ask my brother and my ex,” she mocked.

“Rae, you seriously don’t need to thank me,” he sighed.

“But I will.”

“Get ready to go, we’ll go get coffee,” he ordered as she took her last bite of burnt bacon. It was delicious, the best thing she’d ever had. Getting up she picked up their plates.

“Thanks Jay, really,” she smiled as she leaned over and kissed his scarred cheek. The man froze. “Your my knight in shining armor last night, and no one’s ever done that for me.”

“Be better if I’m a knight in tarnished armor, and what would your crush say to this flattery,” he demanded.

“Garth would have to notice I’m female before he could comment on who I’m friends with,” she sighed in frustration at the mention before she walked to her sink. She didn’t see Jason’s quizzical look at her or how he touched the scar she had chastely kissed.


	4. Remembrance

Arella Wilson was many things, wife, mother, killer, runner, and hider of her only child. Which was why, she smiled as her husband walked to her, his lips pressed on her pulse which had her eyes fluttering shut.

“She’d be Rose’s age today,” she whispered. November 11th, a day forever seared into her mind. The worst, best and hardest day of her life.

“She’d definitely be like her mother,” Slade whispered softly, his lips against her temple. Arella closed her eyes as she leaned back against him. She had never bore another child, she couldn’t, the damage of her own daughter’s birth was too much trauma for her body to ever recover from, she was never meant to survive the birth.

“I wonder what she’d look like today,” Arella admitted. “She had these eyes, all knowing, far too old for a new born,” she murmured. “Will she ever forgive me? For giving her away? For giving her up?”

“You did what was right for her, Arella, that’s all mothers can do,” he murmured.

“But what if it wasn’t right!?” she demanded. “I don’t even know her name!” Arella whimpered. “I never got to name her.”

Slade said nothing as he held her, she twisted in his arms and hid against her husband’s chest. Though she loved his children like her own she would never forget her only daughter who was safetly beyond this world’s reach. She was free, free of Lucifer and of her own sin, her daughter was free to live. But it tore at her very soul, because what mother discarded her own child?

* * *

 

“I am deadly serious,” Raven insisted as she and Jason walked for their coffee shop.

“There is just no way you’re right,” Jason countered.

“The Lethal Weapon movies are the better franchised series than Die Hard, Die Hard has three good movies of five, and all four of Lethal Weapon’s movies are awesome, how am I wrong?” Raven countered.

“Because you are, little bird, John McClain is a way better hero with a more believable motive than the Lethal Weapon guys,” Jason stated.

“You are reading WAY too much into that,” Raven decided.

“Oh please, Murtaugh is way too old to be on the force, and Riggs would never pass a psych eval,” Jason leveled.

“And McClain would?”

“Yes.”

“You are delirious, besides, it’s Hollywood and they blow everything out of proportion,” Raven stated.

“Like what?”

“Like EVERYTHING, I honestly don’t think those people know how to be real for three seconds in the real world.”

“Fair point,” Jason conceded.

“So you admit, I am right!” she smiled.

“No, I concede you have a point, that is neither correct nor incorrect but valid in it’s weight,” Jason countered.

“Oh please, just admit I’m right, you’re wrong and I’m a Queen,” Raven decided.

“Is that so little bird?”

“Duh, I’m smarter, prettier, and frankly way more awake than you at this awful hour,” she announced.

“Stop reminding me,” Jason yawned. He should’ve made a larger breakfast, but neither he nor Raven had been starving at the time. Besides, he was reluctant to leave her company, it was just too nice to be… to be no one to her. All his subordinates cowered in fear of failing him, all his friends were waiting for a knife in the back when they lost their usefulness, and don’t get him started on his many siblings and the disfuntion of that entire home. Raven was refreshing, and she didn’t know what he was, so he could; for a very rare change, be who he was. It was a nice change. “Raven?” he paused when he noticed she wasn’t right by him.

He saw her a bit behind him staring at a window, walking up to her again he stared at the window.

Raven was staring at the books there and he smiled a bit, it was a small, quaint bookshop and the display had a new list of new authors and she was smiling so widely it was a bit infectious.

“Oh… My… God…” she whispered.

“What is it?” he asked, shivering a bit.

“THAT’S MY BOOK!” She spun on him, he caught her when she tripped in her excitement. “That’s My Story! I knew it published but…!” she laughed as she threw her arms around him, he caught her waist and stared at the display then. It was plain, a black chess piece; the queen, was on the cover and he spun her around as he let her stand again. “THIS IS AWESOME!” she screamed, a few people glanced at them, but most darted around when he glared at them. “That Rack! That Display! It’s for RECOMMENDED BOOKS! This Is AMAZING!”

“Congratulations, I’ll buy a copy for you to sign so when you get super famous I can claim to know you first,” Jason decided.

“Oh please, I doubt it’ll ever be a best seller,” Raven dismissed. “It’s a murder mystery, with a dash of adventure, and it’s fun, it’s not literary brilliance,” she shrugged off.

“Nonetheless, I expect you to sign it when I buy it,” Jason said as they walked for the café.

“Fine, but only if you admit defeat, Lethal Weapon is a bitter franchise.”

“Only if you tell me what books you read instead of your terrible taste in movies,” Jason countered.

“Fine, I love the classics,” Raven admitted.

“I see, I foresee our morning routines to now be filled with books, little bird.”

“I can live with that Jay, just do try to keep up. I am a quick reader,” Raven smiled.

“I think I can manage,” he smiled a bit.

“And here I thought my mysterious friend would be far too busy conquering the world to read a good book! The wonders never cease today, I pray we remain friends for a thousand years so I might converse with a fellow bookworm,” Raven decided.

“Little Bird, I just might fall in love with you if you keep the flattery up.”

“I’m not buying your coffee this morning.”

“Damn, and here I thought I could seduce you into giving me anything I desired.”

“Please,” she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, fair enough, I have to compete with Garth for your affections,” Jason mused.

“Garth would have to notice my affections to know they existed, so you’re quickly becoming a great friend, and I have to take this call,” Raven said. “Shit, I forgot to call them last night, I said I would,” she muttered.

“Last night was busy,” Jason offered. “And who?”

“My moms, here’s my money, save my spot in line, I want my vanilla latte and don’t skimp my vanilla,” Raven said as she walked away from the café they were approaching. He blinked at her blind trust in him not to poison her or just take the twenty bucks she had shoved at him and run. Shrugging he walked into the café.


End file.
